🌱Tea leaf processing involves withering, bruising, and drying to create unique flavors and aromas.
🌿Enzymes in the tea leaves play a crucial role in aroma formation and flavor development.
🌺Withering and drying reduce astringency, while bruising and fixing bring out complex flavors.
🍵Each step of tea leaf processing is carefully timed to ensure the best quality tea.
⌛The timing and techniques used in tea leaf processing vary for each of the six major tea types.
Does tea processing involve the addition of external ingredients?
—No, tea processing does not involve the addition of external ingredients. It is a natural process that utilizes the tea leaf's own enzymes and undergoes various stages to develop flavors and aromas.
What is the key step in white tea processing?
—The key step in white tea processing is withering. Withering involves laying the tea leaves out to dry, allowing the enzymatic processes in the leaves to activate and develop the tea's fruity, floral, and sweet aroma profile.
What role does bruising play in oolong tea processing?
—Bruising is a crucial step in oolong tea processing. It involves lightly tossing and resting the tea leaves, inducing stress and allowing aroma formation. The bruising process also triggers catechin oxidation, reducing astringency and enhancing the tea's savory and sweet components.
Why is fixing important in tea processing?
—Fixing is a step in tea processing that involves adding high heat to denature and degrade the enzymes in the tea leaves. This stops further transformation of taste and aroma, preserving the desired flavor profile. It also helps stabilize the tea leaves for storage and transport.
How does rolling contribute to tea flavor extraction?
—Rolling tea leaves aids in flavor extraction during brewing. It helps break down the tea leaf cells and release flavor compounds more easily. Rolling is especially important for black tea, as it further breaks down barriers between enzymes and substrates, enhancing flavor development.
00:00Tea leaf processing is the key to understanding the six major tea types.
03:02Withering is a crucial step in white tea processing, allowing the tea leaves to develop a fruity, floral, and sweet aroma profile.
13:20Bruising plays a crucial role in oolong tea processing, inducing stress and triggering aroma formation, as well as reducing astringency and enhancing savory and sweet components.
20:48Fixing is an important step in tea processing, adding high heat to stop enzyme activity and preserve desired flavor profiles.
21:18Rolling tea leaves aids in flavor extraction, breaking down leaf cells and enhancing flavor development.
